Deputy Minister Doykov Presents the Bulgarian Position on the Recovery of the EU and Relations with the UK to the General Affairs Council
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Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Petko Doykov presented the Bulgarian position on the European Commission’s Recovery Plan and on EU- UK relations to the General Affairs Council, which was held by video conference.
The General Affairs Council focused on preparations for the European Council to be held by video conference on 19 June, EU - UK relations and the agenda of the Council of the EU from 1 July 2020 until 31 December 2021. Discussions focused on the EU recovery package and the modified proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework, all in the context of the coronavirus crisis.
Deputy Minister Doykov thanked the European Commission for its package of proposals and the Croatian Presidency for preparing the discussions that had been held so far. “We agree with the view that the proposed plan for the recovery of the EU is ambitious and corresponds to the principles for the adoption of targeted temporary measures in response to the coronavirus crisis,” Petko Doykov said.
As regards the Multiannual Financial Framework for the 2021–2027 period, the Deputy Minister noted that the long-term policies and priorities of the EU remain in place and need adequate financing. “The cohesion policy remains a priority, as does support for the least developed EU regions," he highlighted.
Bulgaria appreciates the proposals for strengthening the relevant programs, which reflect the EU’s political priorities. These include policies in the spheres of security, border protection, migration, resilience of the agricultural and fishing sectors and support for the western Balkans.
Referring to the EU - UK relationship, Deputy Minister Doykov highlighted the need to guarantee reciprocity in visa-free short-stay travel, transport connectivity and an equal footing to ensure fair competition in the economy and trade.